Young Sheldon Season 7: ‘Three knocks’ theories explained

Some serious Big Bang Theory lore has come full circle in Young Sheldon Season 7 – here’s how it addressed Sheldon’s infamous ‘three knocks.’

When it comes to unique characters in TV, Sheldon Cooper has to be up there with the best. Thankfully for fans of The Big Bang Theory, the reasons behind his distinct behavior have largely been established in Young Sheldon.

From wearing a bow tie on his first day of high school to consciously changing his accent from a Southern drawl, the elements that make Sheldon beloved – or loathed – all stem from his early days.

One of his most unique attributes is that he always knocks on a door three times, with Young Sheldon Season 7 now addressing why. Unsurprisingly, fans have also had many theories. Warning – spoilers ahead!

Young Sheldon Season 7: ‘Three knocks’ theories explained

In The Big Bang Theory, Sheldon is often seen knocking on a door three times, explaining why with a story from his childhood – which fans finally get an answer to in Young Sheldon Season 7 Episode 4.

In the story, adult Sheldon explains that he returned home from college one day at the age of 13, opening a door to find his father allegedly having an affair with another woman. Ever since, Sheldon has decided to knock three times in order to give people time to “put their pants on.”

While many have speculated that the other woman might have been Brenda, Young Sheldon Season 7 Episode 4 finally confirms the truth – “Helga,” the other woman Sheldon saw George with, was actually Mary dressed in an Oktoberfest dirndl she brought back from Germany.

Fans knew change was afoot as soon as the promo for the episode dropped, taking to social media to share their theories.

“If you have seen the promo for the next episode coming this upcoming Thursday, you’ve likely seen Sheldon knock three times onto a door, and then open it,” one fan mused on Reddit. “The two theories I’ve seen from most fans are either Sheldon walking in, finding out that Georgie, Mandy, and CeeCee have been using his room – or it’s his parent’s bedroom, and it’s George with another woman, perhaps Brenda.”

“My theory is this. If you remember the last episode, Mary was writing George a letter, telling him ‘he’ll show her how much she loves him,’ before Missy called,” the post continued. “I believe Sheldon will walk in on his parents having sex, and he’ll misinterpret the situation, thinking it’s another woman. They obviously don’t want to talk about that with their son, and as Adult Sheldon said, he never talked about it with them.”

It has frequently been pointed out by fans that adult Sheldon appears to be an unreliable narrator, combined with the real-life knowledge that most events are not how children remember them.

“We’ve all been waiting for this moment, especially since George’s emotional affair with Brenda Sparks. In the preview for this week’s episode, we saw Sheldon opening a door and looking shocked by what he saw. I have a feeling that is the moment in question,” another fan weighed in.

However, some fans completely disagreed, stating: “Please! Enough with the theories. It’s been stated ( by Sheldon himself) that the 3 knocks DID NOT start until AFTER he (supposedly) caught his father with another woman. Perhaps it’s the writers, who probably read your comments, messing with you!”

You can check out all the best new TV shows coming out in March here, and catch up with the Young Sheldon Season 7 essentials here:

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